Lemons
by Aradia2
Summary: As always Jackie goes to Hyde when her life is falling apart.
1. Lemons

Title: Lemons  
  
Author: Aradia  
  
Pairing: Jackie/Hyde  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Jackie, Hyde or anything pertaining to That 70's Show. Please don't sue me college has already put me so far in debt that I'll probably never crawl out of it.  
  
Summary: Jackie is upset about her life and looks for comfort. (yeah summaries suck & I suck at writing them)  
  
Notes: Takes place sometime after "Black Dog" and before "Bring it on Home" This is my first That 70's Show fanfic and it's not beta'd so if it sucks really bad, sorry. If anyone would like to beta it please email me @ aradia60505@yahoo.com Thanks Bunches and enjoy!  
  
~!~!~!~  
  
Jackie' POV  
  
"I heard her mom was having an affair and he killed her lover."  
  
"I heard he hasn't paid his taxes in like 30 years."  
  
"I heard he took bribes from a mobster."  
  
"I heard the cops were busting a crack house and he was in the back room, completely doped up."  
  
I could feel them, staring at me as I walked down the hall. Eyes bore into my back and whispers echoed against lockers. I was used to people talking about me. I mean please, I'm a cheerleader, it's like what we do, but there was never anything really horrible for them to talk about before. Except for that time I tried to dye my hair blonde in ninth grade and it turned orange, but this is even worse then that. It's been weeks since anybody's talked about anything else and to make it worse my fellow cheerleaders have lost all respect for me. They actually pity me, me, Jackie Burkhardt, the prettiest girl in school. They laugh and whisper about me at the lunch table like I can't hear what they're saying. Let me tell you something, those tables are not that long. Even when you move down to the other end I can hear you!  
  
As soon as my locker was in view I ran to it and threw my books inside. I turned and stared down the hallway toward the cafeteria imagining the looks I'd get and the false sympathy from Cynthia and Tori. I knew I'd have to sit at the cheerleading table listening to them gossip about me and pretend not to hear it. I couldn't do it again, I just couldn't. Instead of walking down the hall toward that disaster I grabbed my purse and rushed out the double doors of the school and into the parking lot. I didn't really know what I was doing until I saw him. He was sitting on the hood of his car talking to some scruffy looking kid, and not scruffy in a good way. Unconsciously my feet started walking toward him. By the time I got halfway across the parking lot I was running.  
  
"Steven." I said when I had reached the El Camino. He ignored me and continued to look at the scruffy kid, who was now looking at me; well maybe leering at me is a better word. "Steven!" I said again. Finally he turned toward me.  
  
"Jackie, I'm a little busy here. What do you want?" I was taken back by his tone of voice. He hadn't spoken like that to me for.well, actually it had only been a few hours but still I needed him and he acted like I had done something wrong. What was his problem? Great, something else to worry about. Like there wasn't enough wrong in my life.  
  
"Nothing, never mind." I mumbled and turned away, trying to ignore the nasty comment the other boy said about me. I walked blindly around the parking lot until I could remember where I had parked. When I found my car I crawled into the driver's seat and tried not to think of anything except turning the car on and driving somewhere, anywhere, except back to my empty house. Of course my brain had stopped listening to me years ago and all I could do was focus on all the horrible things that had happened to me in the last couple of weeks. One thought just kept running through my head even as I tried to force it out. "My parent's abandoned me." I couldn't help the tears that started to fall and brushed them hurriedly away. When I lowered my hand it was covered in black mascara. Of course my mascara would run. It was just that kind of day. I stared at my black streaked hand, letting the anger and despair and all the other feelings I had surge up my throat and stream out my mouth in one wordless scream and then I dissolved into horrible, ugly sobs.  
  
~!~!~!~  
  
It felt like I had cried for hours. Eventually the tears turned to dry hiccups and then stopped completely. My eyes were red and rubbed raw, my nose was running and my head ached. Shaking I folded my arms over the steering wheel and rested my head on them, willing the headache away so I could drive home. When it subsided and I was blindly reaching over to the passenger seat for my purse my door opened. It was Steven. There was no need to look. I just knew.  
  
"Jackie."  
  
"Go away."  
  
"Jackie."  
  
"Go away!" I screamed.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked angrily. I sat up and turned around so fast that he had to take a step back. I forgot that I looked like a blotchy raccoon, forgot that I never let anyone see me cry (at least when crying made me look ugly) and just stared at him, dumbfounded. Then I found my voice.  
  
"What's wrong with me?" I asked. "I'm sorry; I hadn't realized there was anyone left in this school that didn't know. My father's in prison! He's a criminal! And my mother can't stop her whoring for five minutes to give one damn about him or me! I've been living in an empty house for three weeks, our maid is supposed to get paid next week, I have no idea how to cook so I've been eating cereal and toast for dinner every night, and I could use a little sympathy from my boyfriend but all he can do is yell at me!"  
  
"You told me your mother came home." He said.  
  
Oh, my god! Out of all the things I wanted him to say that wasn't even on the list! Why couldn't he just tell me everything was going to be okay? All I needed to hear was that one stupid lie and I could have gotten through the rest of the day. Instead he made some inane comment and looked at me like I was a stupid little girl.  
  
"I lied. She sent me a postcard from the beach."  
  
"Jackie, I.." He trailed off, looking at me helplessly. I shook my head and groaned under my breath.  
  
"Just forget it. I'm fine. I'm sorry I freaked. I must be getting my period or something." I fished my keys out of my purse and turned the car on but when I tried to close the door he stepped in the way, knelt down, and opened his arms. I looked at him dumbly for a minute then launched myself at him. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in close. I buried my face into his neck and threw my arms around his waist, holding him tight, trying to get as close as possible. He held me tighter and I relaxed. His arms around me were just what I needed. I think Steven's the only one that's ever bothered to comfort me before, unless you count Donna rolling her eyes and patting me on the back. Who would think that Steven Hyde could comfort anybody?  
  
After a few minutes he stood up, bringing me with him, and walked me around to the passenger side. I settled down into the leather seat and he got in the other side and drove out of the parking lot. He didn't say where we were going and I didn't have the energy to ask. Instead I leaned my head against the window and fell asleep. I didn't wake when the car stopped, nor did I feel Steven carrying me inside and putting me to bed but he must have because the next thing I knew I was waking up in his bedroom, in his bed, and he was behind me, spooning me, with his arms wrapped around my waist, his legs entangled with mine. It was the most intimate thing I had ever felt in my entire life. I'd never slept with someone before, just slept. With Michael it had always been 'Wham, Bam, See you later, Jackie' It felt good to wake up in the arms of someone you loved.  
  
~!~!~!~  
  
I must have stayed there for hours just feeling him against me. When he finally woke I blushed and for the first time had nothing to say. Not that usually I talk too much because I don't. But breaking the silence would have destroyed whatever it was that was between us in that moment. Then he kissed me softly and leaned over the bed to grab his shirt. Did I mention he was shirtless? Well, he was.  
  
I lounged on his small fold out bed and watched him get dressed, smiling slightly. The thin mattress below me was surprisingly comfortable and as I watched him putter around the room my eyes grew heavy and I, for the first time in weeks, fell asleep without tears running down my face.  
  
~!~!~!~  
  
When I woke up the basement was quiet, even the pipes that usually groaned through Steven's room were silent. I wasn't sure how long I had slept but to be on the safe side I peaked out the door before leaving his room. If it was late I didn't want to get him into trouble. Luckily the basement was as empty as it sounded. I walked quietly around the basement trying to loosen my tight muscles before finding my shoes and jacket.  
  
I had just found my purse hiding inside the shower when Steven spoke from behind me. "What are you doing?" He asked. I jumped like ten feet into the air. I hadn't even heard him come down; I'd been so focused on finding my belongings.  
  
"Steven, you scared me! I'm getting my things together so I can go home. It's got to be pretty late." I said, yawning through the last sentence. I must have slept almost the entire day and still I was exhausted.  
  
"Jackie, its past midnight and you can barely keep your eyes open." He said. His voice sounded slightly exasperated though for the life of me I couldn't figure out why.  
  
"Midnight! Oh my god, how could I have slept so long? I have to go home Steven before I get you into trouble."  
  
"I'm not going to get into trouble. Everybody's asleep two floors above us. They can't hear a thing."  
  
"What are you saying, Steven?" I asked suspiciously even though I had an idea but if he thought I was going to sleep in that cramped little closet he called a room for the entire night well then he had another thought coming.  
  
"I'm just saying maybe you should hang out here for a few minutes and let yourself wake up before you drive home."  
  
That actually sounded pretty reasonable so when he flipped on the TV and sat down on the couch I followed suit, sitting a few inches away from him. He casually wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer until I was all but sitting on his lap. When I shifted away he pulled me right back and dropped a kiss onto the top of my head. I looked up at him, shocked by the tenderness but he was watching whatever was on the TV, his face blank. Letting it go I snuggled into his side and rested my head on his shoulder. That was a mistake. Not two minutes after my head hit his shoulder was I fast asleep. I didn't even get to figure out what late night TV show was on.  
  
Sometime later I was aware of being lifted and carried. With his body spooning my back and his arms wrapped tightly around me we settled into his bed. My almost conscious brain tried to say no. I tried to struggle but I was so comfortable with his arms wrapped around my waist and his face in my hair that instead of getting up, instead of leaving I drifted back into the state of mind I'd spent most of the day in, unconsciousness. 


	2. Hyde POV

Hyde's POV  
  
I'm not really big on school. I'm lucky if I get there twice a week. I mean what's the point? It's just another government run institution filled with brainless morons who wouldn't know the truth if it bit them on the ass. Most days I get up, leave for school, then I wait at the Fotohut until Red and Mrs. Forman have gone to work and go back to the Forman's to sleep off the rest of my hangover. But lately I find myself actually walking down the halls and going to class four sometimes five times a week. I think I may have even paid attention in chemistry. I could really use one of those scales at the Fotohut for "film"  
  
Between classes or smoke breaks I crane my neck for a glimpse of a brunette pixie surrounded by her cheerleader friends. Jackie, she's like the best film I've ever had and I can't get enough of her. It's getting worse. Before she was just like this annoying little girl who was always around and never shut up. And it seemed like she was always talking me into the most ridiculous things; like taking her to the Prom or teaching her to be Zen. And once she even got me to take her out on a date. A date where I actually had to pay! I couldn't stand her, but sometime this summer everything changed. She was still an annoying little girl and I was still always doing things for her but then we were kissing; making out on Forman's couch day after day. And she was hot! She would do this thing with her tongue and her hands would end up clenched in my hair pulling me closer.Dammit! The image of her had not left my brain since our first kiss this summer. It was aggravating. Here I was trying to skip class in peace and she just barged in on my free time. I had better things to do then think about her!  
  
Thoroughly disgusted with myself I leaned back on the hood of my car, unwanted images of Jackie filling my mind. She was an addiction that I couldn't get rid of and it, or rather she, was driving me crazy. No girl was worth coming to school for and yet here I was, albeit not in class, but I was still on school property risking detention.  
  
"Hey, man." Somebody greeted me and jumped up onto the car next to me. I opened my eyes to see some creepy little sophomore.  
  
"Off the car." I said before closing my eyes again. He got off.  
  
I could feel him standing next to my car, rocking on his heels and staring at me. I let him stare. I was busy.  
  
"Hey, man." He said again after a few minutes.  
  
"What?" I growled out before sitting up. It looked like I was going to have to deal with him. I eyed the school figuring my chances on sneaking into one of the bathrooms to give the kid a swirly without getting caught. Odds were slim to none so I looked at the kid and barked out another command. "Make it fast."  
  
The kid started rambling something about hooking him up. It seems I was known for always having the best stuff and he wanted some or maybe he was asking me about a job at the Photohut. I'm not sure. I really wasn't listening. I wondered what Jackie was doing? She was probably sitting in the cafeteria at one of the jock tables surrounded by blonde cheerleaders and their big dumb football player boyfriends.  
  
I spied something sticking out from under one of my wipers and grabbed it. It was a piece of paper, probably a flyer. I made some sort of grunting sound to hurry the kid along and unfolded the paper revealing an advertisement to listen to "Hot Donna" on WFPP. I smirked at the picture of Donna on the flyer and wondered how in the world Eric ever snagged her. It was one of life's amazing mysteries. Sort of like me and Jackie. I rolled my eyes. Not even two minutes and my thoughts were back on Jackie. Man, was I pathetic. I was thinking about her when she wasn't around, actually listening to her when she talked, and waiting for her after cheerleading practice. Was it ever going to stop? That damn woman was screwing with my head!  
  
And then out of the blue, there she was, almost running toward me like some sappy chick movie except her face wasn't right. She wasn't smiling and there were bags under her eyes. I watched her cross the parking lot and the closer she came, the more ragged her face looked. Something inside of me twisted at seeing her look so upset. God Dammit! I actually cared! The thought pissed me off. I don't care about anyone; not even tiny brunettes who looked like their entire world had just come crashing down. I'm Zen, man. I'm not into that whole love bullshit.  
  
By the time she had worked her way over to my car I had worked myself into such a temper that I was seeing red. A dull roar filled my ears and I had to force myself to look at the kid that was still talking. God, he talks more then Jackie. There's that name again. My scowl deepened and I concentrated on what the kid was saying.  
  
"Steven." I heard her say once she reached the El Camino. The kid stopped talking. He turned to get a good look at Jackie and his eager face became insolent. His eyes roamed over her body, checking her over like cattle. I studiously stared at the kid, visualizing what it would feel like to rip his head off, forcing myself to ignore Jackie. It worked for about five seconds before she screamed my name in my ear. I shifted and suddenly she was filling my sight. She was perfectly pressed and polished from her neatly ironed Jordache jeans to her tight wool sweater and bright purple jacket.  
  
"Jackie, I'm a little busy here. What do you want?" It came out harsher then I intended but for some reason most of the things I said to Jackie came out wrong. Usually she ignored whatever tone I used and added her own meaning to my words. Not today. No, today she gasped and brought her hand to her heart as if I'd shot her or something. Her eyes dropped and she mumbled something before staggering off. Just great.  
  
"What a great ass." The kid said to me as I watched Jackie walk away. "I could probably even put up with her bitchy ice princess attitude for." I didn't even watch him fall. Just shook my hand to take away the sting and headed in the direction Jackie had taken. She had gone toward the football field so I figured she was heading for her car. Cheerleaders and football players always parked near the field. As head cheerleader, Jackie even had a reserved parking spot.  
  
~!~!~!~  
  
As I neared her car I could see her in the driver's seat, her head resting on the steering wheel. I reached the car and opened her door. Staring down at her for a minute, I heard a quiet sniffle. Oh god, she was crying.  
  
"Jackie."  
  
"Go away."  
  
"Jackie."  
  
"Go away!" She screamed at me. I felt something snap. Here I was trying to apologize, trying to do something to make her feel better and she was yelling at me? Well forget that!  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I snapped back. She whipped toward me so suddenly that I had to step back or risk being injured by flying hair. Then she was off ranting. I couldn't understand everything but I was pretty sure I got the gist of it. When she finished I stared dumbly at her, mentally kicking myself. I out of all people, should have known what she was going through considering my parents abandoned me just as hers had abandoned her, but I couldn't think of anything to say. Why did she have to make this so hard? Usually she just throws herself at me and takes the comfort she needs whether I want to give it or not. How am I supposed to deal with this new Jackie? What does she want me to do? The only thing that popped into my head was some inane comment.  
  
"You told me your mother came home." I definitely just won stupid man of the year award and the look she was giving me said she agreed with that estimate. Then she was telling me to go away and pushing her keys into the ignition. I couldn't just let her leave like that but I didn't know what to say. I never know what to say. Instead, I kneeled down and grabbed her hands, trying to just not screw up. She fell into my arms as she'd done so many times before. Her face was buried in my neck. I let her curl up in my arms as long as I possibly could but I'm not a saint and I was more then a little uncomfortable so after a few minutes I stood up, pulling her with me, and walked her around to the passenger seat. Once she was settled, her face mashed against the window and her eyes already shutting, I jumped into the driver's seat and turned the keys in the ignition.  
  
~!~!~!~  
  
Driving down Main Street I couldn't decide where to take the sleeping girl next to me. I discarded her house pretty much immediately. For a while I thought about taking her to Mrs. Forman at the hospital but then I remembered the pitying looks she used to give me after my dad left and then again after my mom ditched me. Jackie didn't want anyone's pity.  
  
Eventually I found myself pulling into the Forman's driveway. Where else could I have taken her? We always come here when something's wrong. It's like some teen halfway house or something. Besides, no one was home which meant no one was around to see what I was about to do.  
  
I parked the car in the driveway and walked around to pull Jackie out of the other side. She was still sleeping when I opened the door and pulled her out by her arms. I half dragged half carried her to the basement door but she completely refused to go down the stairs. Half asleep and still a pain in my neck, she fought me every step of the way until I picked her up and carried her down the stairs and into the basement. I felt like a great big sappy hero in one of Jackie's romance novels. It was the most mortifying thing I had ever done. Thank God nobody was around to see me.  
  
As soon as I reached my room, I dumped her on the cot and backed away, but I couldn't rip my eyes away. There was nothing peaceful about her sleep. She squirmed around kicking her feet. Dirty clothes went flying off the cot and her tiny hand fisted into the ratty blanket; untucking it in the process.  
  
I stood at the head of the cot trying to distance myself from her. She was becoming too important. When people became too important, they left and I was lucky if I ever got to see them again. I didn't want that. I didn't want her soft snoring to be cute or to like seeing her girly stuff scattered around my room. I wanted to be annoyed by her never-ending talking instead of actually listening to what she had to say. If she had just stayed a summer fling, I wouldn't have had to deal with all this emotional crap.  
  
Tired of all these constant Jackie thoughts, I rubbed my eyes turned and walked out of the room, deliberately closing the door behind me. I needed a good dose of Thursday afternoon TV. Maybe I could find a brain numbing game show like the Price is Right, or maybe not. That show had gotten me in enough trouble. There was probably a subliminal message hidden inside it that made people act crazy; like making a sane person want to go crawl beside Jackie in that tiny cot and take a nap.and we're back to Jackie. Something is seriously wrong with me.  
  
Angrily I flipped on the TV and fell onto the couch determined to turn off my brain for a few hours. I needed to relax and I knew just what the doctor ordered for relaxation.. I reached under the couch and pulled out a slim wooden box only to find it was empty. Dammit! I could have sworn there was some in here. Even more frustrated I slammed the box shut and shoved it back under the couch. Now what? I could check on Jackie. Yeah, that was a good idea. Never mind that I had just been in there five minutes before and that she hadn't made a sound since I'd left her. Checking on Jackie was a great idea.  
  
She was of course sleeping like a baby as the saying goes. Aren't babies supposed to wake up every couple of hours screaming? That doesn't sound very peaceful to me. Not that Jackie looked peaceful. She had managed to knock all of my blankets and both pillows to the floor and she was hanging over the edge, in the process of falling off. I had never seen anyone sleep as restlessly as she did. If I left her alone she was probably going to end up killing herself. I figure someone would be upset about that, not Eric but Donna maybe. And Kelso would try to kick my ass and then I'd have to give him another black eye. We wouldn't want that. So in lieu of that disastrous situation I resolved myself to watching over her while she slept. I thought about just sitting in the overstuffed chair next to the bed and watching her sleep, but that was way too hokey. Besides if somebody didn't guard her she was going to fall right off the cot and probably break her nose or something. So instead I nudged her over toward the wall and laid down on my back.  
  
For almost a half hour, I stared at the ceiling and concentrated on convincing myself that I didn't feel her back against my arm and her butt against my thigh. It didn't work. I flipped onto my side to give her more room so she wouldn't have to touch me but when I moved she shifted closer and before I knew it she was wrapped around me and I couldn't break free. I started to panic.  
  
Relax. I thought to myself. Calm down. You do this all the time. It's just like when she puts her head on your shoulder or you wrap your arms around her waist. There's nothing new or meaningful in this. She isn't even awake to make a big deal out of it so you can keep things in perspective. The whole talking to myself thing seemed to be working because I was much calmer and could now appreciate the fact that I had a hot girl pressed against me.  
  
~!~!~!~  
  
Hours later and I could hear the gang hanging out in front of the TV. I couldn't believe they hadn't barged in here already. Privacy was a rare commodity in the Forman household. It wouldn't last. In just a few minutes Kelso would burst in here with some dumb idea or Donna would want to know where I'd been in English. No way was I chancing that. I glanced down and saw Jackie staring up at me. I kissed her quickly, just brushed my lips across hers. I wanted to ask her how she felt. I wanted to ask her why she cared what the idiots at school thought. I wanted to make sure she was comfortable, get her a glass of water or maybe another blanket. I wanted to do all those things but I didn't do any of them. Instead I pulled a Zeppelin t-shirt over my head and left the room. I didn't look back to see if she was watching.  
  
Like always, everyone was hanging in front of the TV watching Charlie's Angels and talking. I joined them, pushing Fez out of my chair in the process. He rubbed his thigh and glared at me before going to sit between Donna and Eric on the couch.  
  
"Man, where've you been? You skipped like every class today." Eric asked.  
  
"I bailed."  
  
"If you don't start going to English, you're going to fail." Donna said.  
  
"Thanks, Mom. It's under control."  
  
"Is that what you're gonna tell my parents when you're repeating your senior year? Because let me tell you something. 'Under control' in Red's language means I need a great big foot in my ass."  
  
"It's cool. Don't worry about it."  
  
"Yeah, Eric. Hyde's got everything under control. Don't be such a girl." Fez said.  
  
"Whatever, Man, it's your funeral." He turned back to Farrah Fawcet and the conversation was over.  
  
"Where's Jackie?" Donna asked a few minutes later.  
  
"She's at some cheerleading thing." Hyde lied smoothly. Fez busted out laughing.  
  
"It is funny to hear you say cheerleading without adding damn before it, Hyde."  
  
"Yeah, Hyde. If you keep dating Jackie you're gonna end up like Jake Bradley captain of the football team and homecoming king." Kelso said, piping in for the first time. I stood up. Kelso ran out the door.  
  
~!~!~!~  
  
After dinner Mrs. Forman insisted that we have a "family night" so everyone moved into the living room and Red pulled out a worn game of monopoly. I hate monopoly. It only reinforces this country's capitalist greed and dependency on soulless companies who spend their entire time forming well.monopolies and forcing smaller businesses under. Parker Brothers is the devil, man.  
  
"Mrs. Forman, I'm not really a Monopoly kind of guy."  
  
"Oh, Steven, of course you are. Monopoly is a wonderful game." Mrs. Forman said. Wonderful, more like the sixth level of Hell.  
  
"Mrs. Forman, I really have a lot of homework to finish." And a gorgeous girl sleeping in my bed; not that I could say that out loud.  
  
"According to your grades, you haven't finished any homework since grammar school." Red said. "I've never seen anybody's grades drop so fast. You're report card looks like Eric's."  
  
"I fell behind. I need to catch up. That's why I should really spend this time studying." It wasn't a lie. I should spend the time studying, but if I could just get out of this living room I was going straight to my room and waking up a certain brunette that was sleeping in it.  
  
"Sit!" I sat.  
  
"I'd choose Monopoly over homework anyday. You're so weird Hyde." Kelso said. How the hell did he end up at family night again?  
  
"Here, grab a game piece." Red tossed the box onto the coffee table and sat in his chair.  
  
"I get to be the shoe!" Kelso grabbed it out of the box and smiled smugly at the rest of us.  
  
"Don't you have your own family to harass? Go home!" Red asked.  
  
"But Hyde's here!"  
  
"Hyde's an orphan. He doesn't have a home." Eric said.  
  
"Yeah, it gives me special privileges...unfortunately." That last part was said under my breath but Red must have super-human hearing because he leaned over and smacked me in the head.  
  
"But, Red, you're like a father to me." Kelso said. That was definitely the wrong angle to take when trying to placate him.  
  
"I don't need anymore dumbass kids. I already got them coming out of my ears."  
  
"Fine!" Kelso threw the shoe back into the box and stormed out.  
  
"Well, that wasn't very nice." Mrs. Forman said. She ran into the kitchen after Michael and a few minutes later they both came back. "Michael is playing and if you three can't be nice then you're not the men I thought you were!" She was starting to get emotional. I think her lady problem was acting up and I had nowhere to run.  
  
~!~!~!~ It took me three hours and two games of Monopoly but finally I was able to convince Mrs. Forman that I was tired and escaped to the basement. I had just checked on Jackie, who was still sleeping, when Eric jumped down the stairs. I really didn't want to talk to him. I was still thinking about Jackie and how much I actually missed having her sitting on my lap talking a mile a minute. I wished she would just wake up and be Jackie again not the sad little girl she'd been for the past week.  
  
"Can you believe that Kelso's still playing.and that he's winning? I think Red's foot is about to go up his ass."  
  
"Good." I said before collapsing onto the couch.  
  
"Man, what's with you lately?" Eric asked. He turned on the TV and sat in my chair.  
  
"Nothing's with me. I'm fine."  
  
"Yeah, you're fine. You know, except for that fact that you can barely stand Kelso anymore. He's one of your best friends and the only time you ever say anything to him is to burn him."  
  
"So? I burn everybody."  
  
"Not like this."  
  
"Nothing's wrong, he just irritates me."  
  
"Is this about Jackie?" I shifted in my seat and stared hard at the TV. I did not want to talk about Jackie. For some reason she's all anybody wanted to talk about today. I didn't want to talk about her and I didn't want to think about her wrapped up in my ratty blanket squeezing my pillow like it was her lifeline. I didn't want to think about how she'd held on to me in the same way just a few hours ago. I was barely keeping my own head above water. How the hell was I going to save her?  
  
"It's not about anything, Forman. Leave it alone."  
  
He crossed his arms over his chest and looked toward the TV. "Fine. But if you end up losing a friend over Jackie, don't come running to me."  
  
"Hey, I'm not the one who's trying to steal her away every time my back is turned." I don't know why I said that. It wasn't any of Forman's business.  
  
"She was his girlfriend first."  
  
"He ran all the way to California to get away from her!"  
  
"Look, all I'm saying is you better be sure you have your priorities straight. I get Jackie's hot, when her mouth isn't running anyway, which is almost never, but is she really worth losing a friend?" Yes, God yes, she was. And that was the problem.  
  
"Don't be over-dramatic. As soon as Kelso finds some skank to distract him and lays off Jackie, everything will go back to normal."  
  
"You're dating Satan. Nothing will ever be normal again." He said, lightening the mood. I kicked his shin but a small chuckle slipped out. It was strange, Jackie and I, but it's not like I'm capable of a normal relationship so I figured strange was good.  
  
We spent the rest of the night in companionable quiet. Nothing was resolved but it was at least pushed to the back of the shelf for a while. And when Kelso came down, I tried not to burn him so much, which is a lot harder then it sounds. I swear he gets stupider by the second.  
  
~!~!~!~  
  
The Formans were early to bed, early to rise sort of people. I was always the last up at night and tonight wasn't any different. Even Forman was asleep by eleven, dreams of a naked Donna running through his head. Now there's a thought; naked Donna, naked Jackie, or naked Donna and naked Jackie. I liked that picture.  
  
I played with the image as I finished off the last of a ham and turkey sandwich and descended into the basement. I stopped on the bottom step and watched Jackie rummage inside the shower.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked after walking over to her. She practically jumped out of her skin and shrieked right in my ear.  
  
"Steven, you scared me. I'm getting my things together so I can go home. It's got to be pretty late." I rolled my eyes when she yawned through the last sentence. I couldn't believe she was still tired. It made me wonder how much she'd been sleeping in the past couple of weeks and I couldn't help but worry. Damn it! I sucked at this whole caring thing. I never have before, not really. Sure, I loved my parents but you're kind of obligated to love your parents. It's like a rule; a child must love his parents. Of course look how that one turned out.  
  
"Jackie, its past midnight and you can barely keep your eyes open."  
  
"Midnight! Oh my god, how could I have slept so long? I have to go home, Steven, before I get you into trouble."  
  
"I'm not going to get into trouble. Everybody is asleep two floors above us. They can't hear a thing."  
  
"What are you saying, Steven?" She asked. I knew she was going to stay the night even as I was rejecting the idea. If she stayed I was a goner. The thought terrified me. If you gave someone your heart they trampled over it. That's just the way things work for people like me. I was going to spend the night curled around her, brushing her hair away from her face and falling completely in love with her and then I would do nothing but wait for her to leave because happy ever afters only work for guys like Forman; the good guys.  
  
I had to think fast and the only excuse I could think up sounded kind of lame. Her mouth was pursed and there were little wrinkles between her eyes. She knew I was up to something, but she must have decided to let it go because the next thing I knew we were curled up on the couch watching late night TV.  
  
Jackie struggled not to yawn again during the commercial break and she was fighting to keep her eyes open. She tried to sit up and move away from me, hoping to wake up a little bit more. I smiled at her stubbornness but I wasn't about to let her get away with it. I pulled her back to me and kissed the top of her head. No more then two minutes later she was fast asleep, snoring softly. I wonder what she'd do if I told her she snored. Probably never speak to me again. It was a tempting thought but she'd probably never let me kiss her again either and I wasn't about to risk that. Instead I turned back to watch whatever was on the television.  
  
After a few hours of talk shows and once the catholic televised mass began I was sick to death of TV and a little afraid of hearing the priest speak in Latin. I picked Jackie up for the second time that day and carried her to bed where I settled her into my side. She wrapped herself around me, not once waking up and I tensed. I should have felt awkward, uncomfortable. I'd never had a girl sleep over before. Worse, I'd never had Jackie sleep over before. I should have been tossing and turning; unable to sleep. Instead I was cuddling. I don't cuddle. I should have left her there. I should have slept on the couch. I should have done a lot of things, pretty much anything other then what I did do. I fell asleep.  
  
~Fin~ 


End file.
